No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than six people have died during a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," stated a release from the nation's military.
22 others were injured, including five who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about thirty-two percent, the latest official data show, and such recruitment events typically draw large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this event was extended by a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since started.
